Four Brothers and a Bride

Chapter 98

Chapter 98: Chapter 98

ASHTON

I can’t believe father. What sick joke is he trying to play with us right now? He really invited his bastard son to our mansion? How dare him bring Josh in here to have lunch with our mother?

Father ignores our death stares and waves Josh in.

"Barbara, you remember Josh, right? He works with us at the HQ."

"Yes. Hello Josh." Mom beams at Josh as he edges closer. "Who can forget this hardworking young man? Josh Randall, right?"

"Yes ma’am."

"Hi Mr. Randall. Nice of you to join us." Demi utters with a smile.

"Thank you, Demi."

"I think I met your mother at the last AGM. Kristy Randall." Mother adds.

Beside her, father almost chokes. Good for him. He wants to play dirty? Four can play that game. I give my brothers just one look and we all return to our seats. I’ll handle this.

Josh offers mom an expensive bottle of wine as a token of appreciation for being invited to eat with us. Oliver’s replacement, a new face in a clean-cut suit, accepts the drink and disappears into the kitchen. Josh slips into his chair and nods at father.

"I’ve met Kristy too. She came by my office to buy a car a while back."

"Really?"

"Yes mom." I exchange looks with Josh and father. "She had A LOT to say to me about my looks and how she doesn’t think they match up with father’s looks in his hay days."

Josh laughs. "My mom likes to make small talk every chance she gets. Where there isn’t anything to be discussed, she has a penchant for making things up." He places his napkin on his thigh and steals a glance at father who is busy watching me.

"I met Kristy at the AGM too. I recall the long, nasty red nails." Asher quips with a sly smile. "In fact, father recently demanded something of me. He requested I go over and have lunch with..."

"BOYS, SHALL I HAVE A WORD?" Father asks, leaping to his feet. He leans down to press a kiss to mother’s forehead. "We’ll be brief, darling. Do keep Josh company in the meantime. Josh, consider this your second home and help yourself with anything you like. I’ll just be back."

I drop my cutlery with a loud clatter, glare at father before joining my brothers to his study. Inside, father shuts the door so no sound can escape.

"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO BRING HIM HERE!" I begin impatiently. "How could you think to disrespect our mother like that? Do we look like a joke to you? It’s bad enough that you cheated on her with Josh’s mom and even sired a son. You know how much that would crush her and yet you bring Josh in here for what? How do you think she will feel when she finds out the entire truth eventually and remembers this day?"

"The least you should have done is keep the product of your disgraceful act as far away from my mother as possible." Ashal blurts out with red rimmed eyes. "Don’t delude yourself by thinking we can ever accept Josh as part of our family. We will never hold hands around a fire and sing kumbaya, you get it?"

Father sinks into his chair and regards us with a hand under his chin.

"What are you going to do next? Invite that cheap whore who birthed your son to share a meal with our mother too?"

"Watch your mouth, Asher. This is all thanks to you. If you had done as I had asked and had a simple lunch with Josh and his mother instead of insulting them badly, I would have had the heart to turn down Josh’s request to have lunch with us like this."

"Are you kidding me?" I lash at him. "That’s your grand excuse for breaking your promise to us by bringing Josh in here?" I slam my hands on his desk. "You have two minutes to make him leave or I will personally reveal what a cheating, lying scumbag you are to mother!" My heated glare cuts through father’s defensiveness and I watch his shoulders sag.

"You wouldn’t dare, Ashton."

I scoff at him. "Mom’s going to find out anyway, right? How about today? How about now?" I turn and head for the door. "LET’S ALL BE MAD TOGETHER."

"ASHTON! GET BACK HERE. YOU THREE, GET YOUR BROTHER!"

But nobody moves to stop me. Father rushes out of his chair as I yank the door open and head for the dining area. With father and my brothers on my tail, I circle the table to go stand next to Josh who is smiling gaily as mother regales him and Demi with a few stories. They’ve barely touched their meals. The trio look up as the table is surrounded.

"Something wrong?" Mom asks, looking around.

"Are you going to ask

"What’s going on, Ashton? Who wants Josh to leave? He

her as politely

her. Surprisingly, she plunks down on her seat with

defeated as he glances at Josh who gets the

it’s lovely as always to see you. I hope we get to meet again. I’d love to hear more stories

his chair so he can leave unfettered.

to Josh. "I’m sorry about my sons. I have no idea why they’re behaving

give Demi a peck on her cheek. She also apologizes to him. After he

man like that? What has he ever done

work, mom." He tells her but she

right now?" Mom is

and kind gentleman he claims to be. Have you forgotten so soon how he lied against us

supposed to believe he was lying? I have seen firsthand how you guys behave around

take mom’s hand. "We are not animals, mom. If we can’t stand that man, trust that it’s because he is a very bad

"What?"

He hid it from you so you wouldn’t get worried. Josh had stabbed his arm with a shard of broken glass. He bled out badly. The scar is still there. If you doubt me, ask father.

is it? Where did you get hurt? Why would you hide such a

understand why we loathe Josh now? He pretends to be a saint in front of people he hopes to

"Don’t say that."

invites that man back into this house or we’ll do worse than throw him out. We’ll make sure

cheeks and goes around my brothers to do

sorry I misunderstood you. I had

over her shoulder, he escorts her to her room. The rest of

Josh hurt you so badly

edging close to her. "Did you have something to do with Josh being here?" He narrows his eyes at her. The rest of us also turn to Demi. Asher had mentioned that

the mansion? I can’t even invite Anna unless mother approves it." She shoves her seat back

him at work if you can help it,

a senior colleague of mine and has been more helpful and friendly towards me than my own brother-in-law and boss. Besides, if he was truly the devil as you all make him out to be, father would probably not be fond of him. I’m sorry but I won’t refuse his friendship or give him the cold shoulder simply because you all hate him. Whatever issue you’ve got with him stays between you all. Don’t drag me into it." With that, she walks

and I are in

the information to sink in. "I went back to her place last night. That’s where I

"What?" We all gasp.

would you do that? That woman is bad news

kept chanting about wanting a shot with her. I finally removed myself from the picture and he decides to keep his side chick and disrespect Demi after

he only wanted to sleep with her. He never planned to make a life with her. While everyone cautions and chides him over his poor decision to keep Nicci in his life, Ashley doesn’t break his gaze which is trained in my direction. I also pin him

at his words. While Asher

thought I would be relieved but instead, I felt a bit sad. I didn’t realize I was silently hoping she

your contract wife and she clearly doesn’t have feelings for you. Why would you want to start a family with such a woman. Ashal, can you talk to him?

his eyes. "You have to divorce her after the contract ends. Having a baby doesn’t guarantee the love of your partner. Where the love is unrequited, you two just becomes bitter parents to an innocent

directly. "Should I keep trying to win Demi over and have a baby with her or should I give

He’s baiting me.

Shay. I wonder what plans she’ll come up with next to keep you

Ashley’s eyes darken.

early with a woman you just got to give you a chance at love. On the other, you’re still sleeping with your ex who, might I add, was just uncovered as the mastermind behind your most recent traumatic experience. I don’t care what decision you take for yourself. It’s your life, not

your loyalty. Ashal, you’re very much in the same boat as me. Asher, you’ll never marry for love because you don’t believe in it. You’ll marry whomever father asks you to on command and make babies if need be. If you all can do that and not be made to feel like crap about the tenor of your relationships, why can’t I? Why is everyone

says

whether we remain together or divorce, have babies or not, will be made exclusively by Demi and I. I don’t appreciate anyone dumping their opinions about that particular matter on me. As for

stones to throw my

***

private matters. Ashal notices my exit and comes rushing after me. I already know what he wants to

I just want to get to the bottom of

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